Implants

Dental implants are used as a substitute for the roots of a tooth that is missing. Used to support dentures, bridge, or most typically, crowns, the implants are inserted into your jawbone through minor surgery. Typically, dental implants provide a more natural and secure feeling than other teeth replacement methods like dentures.

While you might be somewhat wary of this type of procedure at first, there are numerous reasons why you will want to have your missing teeth replaced. First, when a tooth is missing, the jawbone around that missing tooth will start to dissolve, and implants help to keep the jawbone’s original shape. Secondly, missing teeth can affect your ability to chew, and in fact, can affect what foods you can eat. Next, your bite can be affected by the loss of teeth, and this can lead to jaw joint problems including TMJ, or lockjaw. Finally, lost teeth can lead to aesthetic changes and speech changes that affect your self-confidence. However, having your teeth replaced can work to fix all of these issues.

There are many types of implants: mini, subperiosteal, and root-form. The most common dental implant is by far the root-form. In this type of implant, a small titanium screw or cylinder is implanted into the jawbone, and then an abutment (a metal cylinder) is attached. Next, the crown, bridge, or denture is affixed to the abutment.